According to Mike Pondsmith, the creator of Cyberpunk, the upcoming sequel by CD Projekt RED (CDPR) is shaping up to feel more like a Chicago gone wrong than a Blade Runner-esque world.

A few years ago, the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 was teased during an investor presentation, but details were scarce, with developers only revealing that the project was in its early development phase. Since then, updates have been minimal, until now: at the Digital Dragons event, Pondsmith shared fresh insights with Tvgry about the Cyberpunk universe, from its roots to the evolution of Cyberpunk 2077 and the plans for Project Orion.

“I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment artists, and he explained the new location we visit in Orion. I remember looking at it and thinking, ‘Yeah, I understand the feeling you’re going for, and it really works.’ It doesn’t feel like Blade Runner; it feels more like Chicago gone wrong. I love Blade Runner. It’s my favorite movie. The genre used to be very niche when we started out. I think part of that is how the genre has matured. I also like what CD Projekt did. They redefined cyberpunk; it wasn’t just Blade Runner. I’m probably not as involved in the sequel, but that’s because I have someone helping me. We have a designer on our crew named Jay. He talks to the CD Projekt guys as much as I do, so that frees me up to do a lot of things,” Pondsmith said.

This “Chicago gone wrong” concept certainly sounds promising. A cyberpunk game set amid the city’s industrial, rail-laden, and frozen river environment would be a fascinating alternative to the sleek, neon-drenched Night City. An industrial, lived-in take on cyberpunk could truly set the sequel apart.

Source: PCGamer